Nearly half of Edinburgh residents are interested in gifting a trip abroad for Christmas
With Christmas fast approaching, HSBC surveyed over 2,000 UK adults to ask them about their Christmas and New Year travel plans – including residents from Edinburgh.
With Christmas fast approaching, HSBC’s survey of over 2,000 UK adults has revealed how Edinburgh residents are planning to celebrate the festive season. The survey highlights travel preferences, spending habits, and the growing popularity of gifting experiences.
This year, 24% of Edinburgh residents plan to travel over Christmas and New Year, with America and Italy tied as the top destinations for 21% of those travelling. Unlike many other cities, Edinburgh residents take the least time to book their trips, finalising plans an average of two months in advance compared to the national average of three months.
When it comes to spending, residents of the Scottish capital plan to allocate £1,111 on seasonal travel. For overall Christmas expenses—including gifts, decorations, and traditional dinners—they expect to spend an average of £810.
The survey also highlights the rising appeal of experiential gifts, with 40% of Edinburgh residents expressing interest in gifting a trip or experience this Christmas. This growing trend reflects a desire to create lasting memories with loved ones during the festive season.
Adrija Biswas, HSBC UK’s Head of Global Money, FX and Payments, commented: “Holidays are topping people’s priority lists this festive period, with lots of people leaving the country over Christmas, and also choosing to gift trips away to loved ones as gifts.
“With one in four having plans for a festive getaway, we are also seeing a trend of ‘impulse travel’ – where spontaneous trips are being booked and paid for a month or less in advance. With the average festive trips coming in at over £1,300, this is a significant expense to commit to at short notice, which is why it’s important for festive jetsetters to ensure they’re not paying unnecessary fees and charges on their transactions while on their Christmas getaway.
“With no HSBC fees on card spend or ATM withdrawals abroad, Global Money helps customers avoid unexpected costs and makes it easier to maximise your holiday budget during what we all know is the most expensive period of the year.”